Keith Andrews Wants 'More' From Brentford Despite Unbeaten Start
· Yahoo Sports
Keith Andrews believes Brentford still have plenty of room to improve despite extending their unbeaten Premier League start with a 2-2 draw away at Bournemouth.
Kevin Schade found the net twice at the Vitality Stadium, but it wasn’t enough for the Bees to take home all three points, settling for their third successive draw of the Premier League season.
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Coming away from Bournemouth without losing while below their best was one positive, particularly against an opponent whose style Andrews believes can make games uncomfortable.
“I thought we could have done better,” Andrews said, speaking after the match. “We didn’t hit the levels that we’ve set for ourselves coming to a difficult place.
“They play a very specific way that is difficult to deal with at times. But equally, I didn’t think we made life easier for ourselves by certain things we were doing.
“So I think overall it’s a point gained.”
Brentford had moments when they were able to play through Bournemouth and get into promising attacking positions, but Andrews felt they lacked some of the sharpness that the Bees have regularly produced this season.
“We weren’t as efficient on the ball,” he said. “We didn’t take care of the ball as well as we could have and should have with the ability that we have within the team.”
Andrews felt Brentford reached good areas during the first half without attacking them with enough conviction, something he admitted surprised him given the standards he sees in training.
Schade was the exception.
The Germany international continued his excellent start to the season with two composed finishes, Keith Andrews describing him as “electric” since returning for pre-season and playing with a freedom that has been increasingly evident in recent weeks.
His goals ensured Brentford were still able to take something from a game in which Andrews felt too many other areas were slightly below the required level. Andrews’ triple substitution at half time against Sunderland had worked to great success, but he didn’t feel they had created the same success against Bournemouth.
“I think when our subs came on to the game, they didn’t impact the game in the way we would have wanted,” Andrews said.
“That’s something, because we’ve built a squad to be able to compete.”
Brentford have now negotiated the opening weeks of the Premier League season without defeat, and Andrews acknowledged there is plenty to be pleased with in that.
He is also wary of allowing a positive sequence of results to soften the demands being placed on the group.
“We’re early stages of the season. Obviously, we’re unbeaten. We’ve come away from home. We’ve got a point.
“So there’s a lot to be content with to a point, but I’m not really wired that way. I want a little bit more.”
Andrews repeatedly returned to Brentford’s own performance rather than focusing too heavily on what Bournemouth had done to disrupt them, while also admitting his side remain some way from being the finished product.
Brentford will have little time to dwell on the draw, with Reading next in the cup before another Premier League game follows later in the week.
Andrews will take the point from Bournemouth. The performance, particularly in possession and from some of those introduced from the bench, gave him rather more to work on.